Folding picture frame



Dec. 1, 1953 2,660,825

v. P; HOWARD FOLDING PICTURE FRAME Filed Nov. 2. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 36. I2 /4. 38. 46 I z 44" Virginia R Hqward "INKENTOR.

Dec. 1, 1953 v. P. HOWARD 2,660,

FOLDING PICTURE FRAME Filed Nov. 2, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Virginia P. Howard INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in picture frames or holders and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a picture frame constructed from a single blank of material that is quickly and readily folded along its scored lines to form an attractive picture frame.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a picture frame forming blank composed of a rectangular body portion having a central opening through which flexible strips carried by the edges of the body portion are extended and which strips are folded into channels behind the body portion so that as the edges of a picture are placed in the channels the frame will also be retained in its desired form.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a folding picture frame that is formed from a single blank of foldable material, such as cardboard, and which includes side and end portions that are substantially triangular in cross-section and having inwardly and rearwardly inclined walls that tend to direct a person's vision to a picture held by the frame behind the side and end portions.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a folding picture frame of the aforementioned characters that is simple and practical in construction, neat in appearance, small and compact in structure, strong and reliable in use, inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank forming the present picture frame;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the picture frame partially assembled;

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the picture frame assembled;

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the frame shown in Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral It! represents a foldable blank of material, such as cardboard, having a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal fold lines l2 and i4, and a pair of spaced parallel transverse fold lines It and i8 that intersect the fold lines I2 and M in order to define a rectangular body portion 20. A central rectangular opening 22 is provided in the body portion 20.

End or transverse tongues or strips 24 and 26 are formed with the ends of the body portion 20. The outer longitudinal edges 28 and 30 of the tongues 24 and 23 are formed with extensions 32 and 34.

The sides of the body portion 20 are formed with side tongues or longitudinal strips 36 and 38 whose outer longitudinal edges 40 and 42 are formed with extensions 44 and 46. The ends of the extensions 44 and 46 terminate short of the ends of the tongues 36 and 38 and the outer corners of the tongues 36 and 38 are cut off as shown in Figure 1.

Extension 44 is provided with three spaced parallel longitudinal fold lines 48, 50 and 52, the innermost of which, 52, is along the edge 4i} of tongue 44. Extension 46 is also provided with three spaced parallel fold lines 54, 56 and 58 the innermost of which, 58, is along edge 42 of tongue 38.

Tongue 24 is provided with a fold line 60 paralleling fold line It and diagonal corner fold line 62 and 64. Extension 32 is likewise provided -fold lines 68 and 70.

with a fold line 66 along the edge 38 of tongue 24. Tongue 26 is provided with a fold line 6'! parallel to fold line 13 and with diagonal corner Extension 34 is provided with three parallel fold lines 72, i4 and 16, the innermost of which, 16, being along the edge 30 of tongue 26.

Side tongues 36 and 38 are formed with longitudina-l fold lines 18 and 88 that are parallel to the fold lines l2 and 14.

In order to form a picture frame, such as shown in Figure 3 from the blank Hi, the side tongues 35 and 38 are folded over the body portion 20 along the fold lines I2, I4, 18 and 80. The extensions 44 and 46 being of a length equal to or shorter than the length of opening 22 are extended through the opening 22 and behind the body portion 20.

The extensions 44 and 46 are then folded along the lines 52 and 58 so that the extensions 44 and 46 will rest against the rear face of body portion 20. The extensions 44 and 46 are folded or creased along the lines 48, 50, 54 and 56 where- 3 by the fold lines 48 and 52 will be superimposed and the lines 54 and 53 will also be superimposed to define channels C and Cl.

End tongues 24 and 26 are folded over the ends of the body portion 28 along fold lines it", 60, I8 and with the corners of the tongues 24 and 26 folded along lines 52 and 64 behind the ends of tongues 38 and 38. The extensions 32 and 34 are then folded along lines 6 6 and TE and extended through the opening 22 to rest against the rear face of body portion 20. Extension 34 is finally folded along lines 14 and 72 to bring line 12 over line '16 and thereby form an end channel (32 behind the body portion.

When the side edges and lower edge (if aipicture P are placed in the channels 0, Cl and C2, the channels will be forced against the re'ar face of body portion 26 and laterally form the opening 22 to retain the frame in its desired form.

Obviously, one of the strips 38 or 36 may be provided with an elongated backing forming 'eX- tension instead of its portion 44 or 45. The free edge fo'f the backing forming extension will enter the channel of the other strip 36 or 38.

, Tie strings may be secured to the body portion [0 intermediate three ends and about the ope'ning 22. The strings may extend through accommodating apertures in the end and side fiaps to hold the picture frame assembled.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A folding picture frame comprising a blank of material including a. substantially rectangular body portion, a pair of side tongues hinged to the side edges of said body portion, a pair of end tongues hinged to the end edges of said body portion, said body portion having a central rectangular opening therein, said end and side tongues being folded inwardly over the front face of said body portion, each of said tongues having an extension extending through the opening and behind the body portion, and channels formed in the extensions of the side tongues and one of the extensions of the 'end tongues engaged against'the rear face of the body portion adapted to receive a picture therein.

'2. A folding picture frame including hollow side portions and upper and lower portions, each of said portions including forward and rear strips, and channels formed with certain of the forward strips and positioned behind and engaged against the rear strips for receiving and holding a picture.

3. A folding picture frame including hollow side portions and upper and lower portions, each of said portions being substantially triangular in cross section and including forward and rear strips and side strips joining the forward and rear strips at one of their edges, said forward strips inclining rearwardly, channel's formed with certain of said forward strips and seated behind said rear strips whereby the insertion of a picture in the channels will force the forward and rear strips into abutting engagement.

4. The combination of claim 3 and a backing carried by one of the forward strips, one of said channels adapted to engage the backing to hold the latter across and behind the frame.

5. The combination of claim 1 and interconnecting means between said body portion and each of said extensions.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said interconnecting means comprises short lengths of strings secured to said body portion, said extension having perforations receiving said strings.

'7. A folding picture frame comprising a blank of material including a substantially rectangular body portion, a pair of side tongues hinged to thesideed'gesof said body portion, a pair of end tongues hinged to the end edges of said body portion, said body portion having a central rectangular opening therein, said end and side tongues being folded inwardly over the front face of said body portion, each of said tongues having an extension extending through the opening and behind the body portion, and channels formed in the extensions of the side tongues andone of the extensions of the end tongues engaged against the rear face of the body portion adapted to receive a picture therein, said channels being laterally disposed relative to their extensions "and defining V-shaped seats with sa'id extensions, the edges defining the opening in said body portion being received in said seat.

8. A folding picture frame including an open substantially rectangular member having a pair of longitudinal hollow portions and a pair of transverse hollow portions joining said longitudinal portions; each of said longitudinal and transverse portions having a rear wall with an inner edge and a forward wall inclining toward the inner edge of the rear wall; a channel formed with each forward wall, said channels overlapping the rear'walls and being disposed behind the sameto retain the inner edges of the rear walls against the forward walls; the channels on the forward walls of the longitudinal portion facing each other and the channels on the forward walls of the transverse portions also facing each other, whereby the marginal edges of a picture may be retained in all channels.

VIRGINIA P. HOWARD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number v Name Date 460,663 Searvogle Oct. 6, 1891 1,753,232 Lockwood May 13, 1930 2,408,532 Roach Oct. 1, 1946 FOREGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,823 Great Britain Apr. 3, 1913 906,898 France 'Feb. 22, 1946 

